Thug hired as 'muscle' for drug debt collection job boasted 'I'm from Salford, mate' - before being embarrassed in court

Two thugs blackmailed an innocent mum into giving them thousands of pounds to pay off some of her ex's drug debt - with one of them telling her: "I'm from Salford, mate." Christopher Swift, 30, and Sebastian Jones, 35, were met by the victim's young son when they banged on her front door.

She was intimidated into paying cash towards her former partner's drug debt on October 7 last year. The victim managed to get her children upstairs before Swift launched into an 'aggressive' tirade.

He told her: "I'm from Salford, mate." A Crown Court judge wasn't impressed, telling Swift's solicitor: "He is not a gangster."

The pair appeared at Minshull Street Crown Court on Wednesday (March 22) after pleading guilty to blackmail. Judge Mark Savill called it a 'frightening incident'.

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The court heard, who Jones acted as an 'intermediary' to his 'associates', was tasked with collecting £15,000 after the victim's ex ran up a drug debt. Jones remained 'silent' throughout the incident and hired Swift to 'be the muscle'.

Prosecuting, David Lees said the pair knocked on the victim's door at around 5pm. The woman's 12-year-old son answered. Knowing why they were there, the victim sent her three children and father upstairs.

Swift then threatened her, telling he he had 'put the windows through' the wrong house before and didn't want to do the same to hers 'because [she has] children'.

Swift then told her: "I'm from Salford, mate. I'm not from round here. I'll go to his [her ex-partner's] mother's house and blow her f***ing head off."

Mr Lees told the court the victim was 'worried for herself and her family' following the threats, and scraped